Safety-razor-blade stropper



Jan. 8, 3929.

J. H. POOLE SAFETY RAZOR BLADE STROPPER Filed April 27, 1925 w w h [whiff/1028 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,698,559 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. POOLE, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, F THREE-FOURTHS TO GORDON C. GREEN, 0F HINGHAM, MASSA- CHUSETTS, AND ONE-FOURTH TO FRANK L. PRICE, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY-RAZOR-BLADE STROPPER.

Application filed April 27, 1925. Serial No. 26,051.

- Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlargement of a portion of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the rod shown by the preceding figures.

Figure T is a fragmentary side view, showing a modification.

The same reference characters indicate the i same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, 12 designates a rectangular oblong blocli, preferably of hard wood. To one side of the block is cemented, or otherwise secured, a layer 13 of leather or other material, usually employed in stropping razor blades, the layer 13 constituting a stropping face.

The block is provided with longitudinal edge faces 14, at right angles with the stropping face, each face 14 constituting a guiding face, the function of which is hereinafter stated.

15 designates a rod which is preferably cylindrical and composed of any suitably hard and flexible wood, such as maple. The major portion of the rod constitutes a handle, adapted to be grasped by the operator. In one end portion of the rod is formed a slot 16 which subdivides said portion into two flexible jaws 17 adapted to be slightly sprung outward, or forced apart by a portion of a safety razor blade inserted between the jaws.

18 designates a clamping means, such as a metal ring movable on the slotted end portion, and of an internal diameter slightly less than the diameter of the slotted portion of the rod, so that when the ring is moved toward the outer ends of the jaws, after the blade has been inserted therebetween, the

jaws are clamped on the inserted portion of the blade.

In this instance the jaws are adapted to clamp a reinforcing member or back 20, on a blade 21, having a single cutting edge 22. The jaws are provided with end faces 23, either of which is ada ted to slide on a guid- 1ng face 14 of the block. The jaws are formed to engage only a minor end portion of the blade and permit the major end portron thereof to project outward from the jaws, as shown by Figures 1 and 3.

In applying the blade to the rod, the operator arranges the blade with its cutting edge oblique to the end faces 23, so that when an end face is guided by a guiding face 14, the cuttlng edge is in an oblique position on the stropping face 13, this being the position in which the cutting edge is held by an expert during the stropping operation. When the cutting edge is held at the angle shown by Figure 1, the operator moves the rod and blade in the direction of the arrow, until the end of the stroke is reached. The rod is then given a half rotation on its own axis, so that the cutting edge stands at an opposite angle during the following stroke in the direction opposite that of the arrow in Figure 1. During each stroke one of the end faces 23, bears on the guiding face 14, the end faces bearing alternately on the guiding face. The end faces 23 hearing on the guiding edge of the block, prevent the jaws from overlapping or contacting with the stropping face, as shown by Figure 2.

To maintain the cutting edge of the blade at a predetermined angle to the end faces 23, and prevent liability of the edgewise swinging of thebladebetweenthejaws,I preferably provide stop means for positively preventing edgewise swinging movement of the clamped blade in either direction. To this end the slot 16 may be provided with inclined shoulders 25, on which the blade back bears, as shown by Figure 5, when the blade is adjusted to the predetermined position. When this adjustment is effected, the ring 18 bears on one end of the blade, as shown by Figure 3. The blade is now prevented from tipping in one direction by the shoulders 25, and in the opposite direction by the ring.

It is obvious that one shoulder 25, instead of two, may be employed.

Edgewise swinging of the blade may beprevented wholly by the ring- 18, as shown by Figure 7, the ring being provided with a stop finger or projection 27, adapted to bear on the blade back 20, while the ring bears, as before, on an end portion of the blade.

The holder may be adapted to hold other forms of safety razor blades, if desired.

I prefer to provide the block 12 with a longitudinal bore 28, adapted to contain the rod 15, or the major portion thereof, so that the block and the rod may be compactly stored when not in use.

Theshoulders may be omitted, as shown by Figure 2, in which case the blade is prevented from swinging edgewise wholly by the pressure of the jaws against the blade caused by the ring 18.

I claim:

A stropping holder comprising a rod having in one end portion a slot, the other end portion being solid and constituting a handle, the sides of the slot forming gripping faces integral with and adapted to bear on the sides ofa imited end portion of the blade, the walls of the slot so locating the blade that the major portion of the blade rojects from the slotted end with its longitudinal edges inclined relative to the rod, the slot being narrower than the thickness of the blade, so that the faces are forced apart and the eriphery of the portion of the rod in whic theslot is formed is enlarged; and a ring slidable on the rod and adapted to frictionally engage said enlarged periphery and press said faces against the interposed end portion of the blade, the arrangement being such that the blade may be inclined, so that the end of the rod containing the slot may bear on one edge of a strop and permit the cutting edge of the blade to bear from end to end on the strop in a slanting position. In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JOHN H. POOLE. 

